PhysiologyLesson 4 of 5 in the course Development and Inheritance

Lactation: Milk Production, Composition, and Newborn Health

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Lactation is the production and release of milk by the mammary glands after childbirth. This lesson explores how the breast is organized to make and transport milk, and how hormones and infant suckling coordinate milk production and release.

Mammary glands are modified sweat glands. In a non-pregnant, non-lactating breast, the glands make up only a small portion of the breast volume, which is mostly adipose and collagenous tissue. During pregnancy, hormones stimulate the mammary glands to expand and prepare for milk production.

All flashcards

What are breast alveoli?
Small, balloon-like structures lined with milk-secreting lactocytes; milk collects inside them.
What do lactocytes do?
These cuboidal cells synthesize and secrete milk into the breast alveoli.
How do prolactin and oxytocin differ in lactation?
Prolactin primarily supports milk synthesis, while oxytocin causes myoepithelial cells to contract and eject milk from the alveoli.
What is the path of milk from the alveoli to the outside?
Milk moves from alveoli into lactiferous ducts, then lactiferous sinuses, and exits through nipple pores.
What is the role of Montgomery glands?
These glands on the areola secrete oil that helps cleanse the nipple opening and protect the nipple from chapping and cracking.

Quiz questions

  1. For approximately how long after childbirth is colostrum produced?Answer: About 48–72 hours
  2. Which description best distinguishes foremilk from hindmilk during a feeding?Answer: Foremilk is relatively watery and rich in lactose and protein; hindmilk is creamier and richer in fat.
  3. How does breast milk help a newborn eliminate bilirubin?Answer: Its laxative effect helps clear meconium, supporting bilirubin removal in stool.
  4. How does phototherapy help treat high bilirubin levels in newborns?Answer: It changes bilirubin into forms that can be cleared more readily.
  5. What does uterine involution mean after childbirth?Answer: The uterus returns toward its pre-pregnancy size.

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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